Gear finishing machine



T. S. GATES GEAR FINISHING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|.

ATTORNEYS July 31, 1962 T. s. GATES GEAR FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1959 ATTOR N EYS July 31, 1962 T. s. GATES 3,046,705

GEAR FINISHING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.6.

FIG.5.

FIG.7.

JNVENTOR. THQMAS s. GATES BY v 34 1 A ATTORNEYS July 31, 1962 T. s. GATES GEAR FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 8, 1959 FIG-3.8.

T. s. GATES 3,046,705

GEAR FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 HWIENTOR.

July 31, 1962 Filed June 8, 1959 ATTbF'NEYS July 31, 1962 T. s. GATES GEAR FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 8, 1959 II. I lillll ATTORNEY T. s. GATES 3,046,705

GEAR FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIGJI.

July 31, 1962 Filed June 8, 1959 I l I I I I l l I I l I ll ull I.

INVEMTOR. HOM WTEFS ATTORNEYS L 1 -LILI T i |H -H July 31, 1962 T. s. GATES GEAR FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 8, 1959 INVENTOR.

ATTORNE S United States Patent 3,046,705 GEAR FINISHZNG MACHINE Thomas S. Gates, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich, assignor to National Broachjdz Machine Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed June 8, I959, Ser. No. 318,574

16 Claims. (Cl. sir-r105) The present invention relates to a gear finishing machine, and more particularly to a gear finishing machine of the type in which a gear-like finishing tool is rotated in mesh with a work gear, either the gear or the tool being driven directly and the other of the two members being driven solely by the meshed engagement therebetween.

Preferably, the gear and tool are positioned with their axes crossed in space and for this purpose the tool has a helix angle difierent from the helix angle of the work gear. The gear and tool are relatively traversed or reciprocated in a direction occupying a plane parallel to the axes of both the gear and tool and this relative traverse or reciprocation may be in a direction parallel to the axis of th gear or in a direction oblique thereto.

Means are provided for effecting a relative feed between the gear and tool radially of the gear. In operation, the gear and tool may be brought into mesh under a predetermined pressure and thereafter maintained at a constant center distance, or maintained at a. constant center distance with intermittent radial depth feed. Alternatively, means may be provided for urging the gear and tool toward each other at a constant pressure so that as material is removed from the gear there is a relative approach between the axes of the gearand tool.

Referencehas heretofore been made to a gear-like tool. Thils tool may be a gear shaving tool or a gear honing too A gear shaving tool is a tool in the form of a gear conjugate to a work gear in which the flanks or sides of the teeth of the gear are interrupted by parallel grooves 0r serrations extending generally in the plane of the gear and providing alternate land surfaces having sharp cutting or shaving edges at the corners thereof adapted to remove material from the teeth of the work gear by. a shaving operation.

A gear hone is a tool in the form of a gear in which at least the surface portions of the teeth areforrned of a solid, hard but slightly yieldable resilient resin compound having abrasive particles embedded therein. Hones of this type are commonly made of epoxy resin.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine of the character described which includes a novei arrangement providing for convenient angular adjustment between the axes of the gear and tool while at the same time providing for limited radial feed.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable work support adapted to be maintained in a fixed position during a machining operation, in combination with a hone supporting and driving assembly including a motor, a rotary hone supporting spindle, and transmission means connecting the motor and spindle, in which the entire hone supporting and driving assembly is adjustable as a unit about an axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of the gear to provide for different crossed axes adjustment, and in which the hone supporting spindle is mounted in the hone supporting and driving assembly for limited traverse radially of the gear.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine as described in the preceding paragraph including means responsive to traverse of said hone supporting and driving assembly for effecting a rocking moveright of FIGURE 1.

3,04 ,705 Patented July .31, 1 962 ment of the work support so as to crown the teeth of a work gear supported thereby.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide pressure feeding mechanism for a gear-like hone which includes friction locking mechanism to lock the hone against further feed after it has been urged into contact with a work gear at predetermined pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro-vide a gear finishing machine of the class described characterized by its simplicity, its rigidity, and the ease with which it may be adjusted and operated.

Other objects and features ofthe invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especialy when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the gear finishing machine constructed in accordanc with the present invention. I

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, as seen from the FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view, as seen from the left of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of th machine. FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the hone head with parts broken away.

. FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the hone head with parts broken away.

FIGURE 6A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view looking 7 FIGURE 11 is a side elevational view of the struc-' ture shown in FIGURE 8, as viewed from the left.

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view of a honefeeding device with parts broken away, employed in the present machine.

Referring first to FIGURES l4 the machine comprises a base It provided with a slide 12 mounted on ways or rails I4 and adapted to be traversed rectilinearly along such ways by traverse mechanism including a feed screw 16 and associated feed nut 18 indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 2. Feed screw I6 is driven in rotation through bevel gearing 17a, and drive shaft 17b, from motor 170. As is conventional in the art the traverse is accomplished by motor means for effecting relative rotation between the feed screw and nut, and the motor is preferably controlled by suitable reversing means so that the cycle includes a predetermined number of traverse strokes or reciprocations; I

Mounted on the base I is a work support platform 20 having a'tail stock 22 thereon and a power headstock 24' associated therewith. The power headstock includes an air cylinder 26 connected by a suitable yoke 28 to the center of the headstock 20 so that the center may be advanced or retracted relative to the center of the tail stock so as to engage or release a work gear.

The work supporting platform 20 is mounted for rocking movement about a vertical axis adapted to pass centrally through a work piece supported between the stocks- The pivot support for the platform 20 is indicated, at 30 which it will be observed is midway between the head and tail stocks. Outboard sliding supports indicated at 32 are provided between the base and the work platform for stabilizing the platform.

Mounted on the slide 12 is a pin 34 which is received in a slot 36 formed in an angularly adjustable block 38 carried by a bracket 40 fixed to the work support platform 20 adjacent one end thereof. The block 38 may be adjusted to a desired position and locked in place by suitable means such as a clamping screw indicated at 42. If the slot 36 is set into parallelism with the ways 14, it will be apparent that traverse of the slide 12 will not rock the work support platform 20 about its vertical axis. In fact, the pin 34- will prevent angular movement of the work support platform 20 about its vertical axis and will eliminate the necessity for any separate clamping or fastening means to retain it in position. On the other hand, if the block 38 is set at a small angle, traverse of the hone slide 12 will result-in oscillation of the work support platform 20 about its vertical axis in a controlled manner in timed relation to traverse or reciprocation of the hone slide. This will have the effect of producing a crown on the teeth of the gear.

In the present machine the work supporting centers are provided on free running spindles in the tail and headstocks 22, 24 and direct rotation is imparted to the gear finishing tool T. In addition, the necessary relative adjustment between a work gear and the tool T to provide for the desired crossed axes relationship is provided specifically by mounting the tool for angular adjustment. Also, the means for efiecting relative radial approach and separation between the gear and tool is accomplished by providing a cross slide on the tool slide 12. Finally, in order to provide for movement of the tool T into engagement with the work piece under a relatively light and accurately controlled pressure, means are provided for supporting a relatively light hone head for traverse relative to the adjustable hone supporting and driving structure. More specifically, the foregoing is accomplished by providing a cross slide 44, which as best seen in FIGURESZ and 3 is movable on the tool slide 12 horizontallytoward and away from the work support platform 24). This adjustment is a rough adjustment and is effected by a feed screw 46.

Carried by and movable with the cross slide 44 is the tool support column 48. Connected to the tool support column as will subsequently be described in detail, is a tool supporting and driving assembly indicated generally at 50. The assembly includes the motor 52 and a transmission adapted to connect the motor to the tool T. The tool T however is mounted in a separately movable tool head 54 which is connected to the motor transmission by a flexible coupling and which is capable of movement perpendicular to the axis of the tool T.

Referring now to FIGURES 8-11 the tool cross slide 44, the tool column 48, and the tool or hone supporting and driving assembly 50 are shown in detail. The cross slide 44, as previously described, is provided with the hand operated feed screw 46 which is associated with a nut 60 which is bolted to the top of the tool slide 12. In FIGURE 11 the feed screw 46 is shown as associated with a hand crank 62. This adjustment is provided for moving the gear finishing tool into and out of the operating position and to accommodate different sizes of gears and tools. A fine adjustment which takes place during a machining cycle will subsequently be described.

The tool supporting anddriving assembly St) is mounted on the front face of the tool column 48 and is adapted to be rotated into a position in accordance with the required angle of crossed axes between the gear and tool.

arm 72 adjustably carried in a circular slot 74 on the assembly permits fine adjustments of the assembly relative to the column.

When the clamp screws 66 are released angular adjustment of the assembly 5%) may be accomplished by rotation of a cylindrical pilot 76 projecting rearwardly from a portion of the tool supporting and driving assembly housing 73 as best seen in FIGURE 5. The pilot 76 is received in a suitable bushing provided in the tool column 48 and as best seen in FIGURE 5, it is provided at its inner end with worm gear teeth 80 adapted to mesh with an adjusting worm 82. The worm 82 as best seen 1n FIGURES 9 and 10, is suported ona shaft 84 journaled in the tool column 48 and terminating in a squared end 86 which permits adjustment of crossed axes angle by a suitable hand tool.

The tool supporting and driving assembly 50 includes a frame 96 on which the motor 52 is mounted, the motor being connected through a suitable coupling 92 to a train of gears including pinions 94 and 96 to gear 98 which is mounted on a shaft 100 carrying a change gear 102. A second change gear 104 is mounted on a shaft 106 carrying another gear 108 which is in mesh with a gear 110 keyed or otherwise secured to a shaft 112 which is adapted to be connected to the spindle of the tool as will subsequently be described in detail.

The gear 110 is shown in FIGURE 6 and its shaft 112 is connected by a flexible coupling indicated generally at 114- to the tool supporting spindle 116.

The present invention involves mounting the tool for movement generally radial of its axis toward and away from the work gear so as to establish a predetermined pressure between the tool and work gear. In order that this pressure may be most accurately controlled the mechanism movable with the tool at this time is reduced to a minimum. For this purpose the tool head 54 is mounted for limited movement on the tool supporting and driving assembly 59.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 5, 6, and 6A, the assembly housing 7 8 and pilot 76 are provided with registering openings in which is received a bearing sleeve which receives a multiplicity of ball bearings 122. Extending rearwardly from the tool or hone head 54 is a cylindrical stud 124 which fits within the ball bearings 122. In addition, the tool supporting and driving housing 78 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending guide pins 126 received in ball sleeve bearings 128. By this arrangement the tool or hone head 54 is mounted for movement tothe right and left as seen in FIGURE 5 in anti-friction bearings and is at the same time firmly and accurately guided during such movement relative to the tool supporting and driving housing 78.

It will be observed that the supporting structure thus movable in the sleeve bearings 129 and 122 is relatively light so that the force with which this component may be urged against a work piece may be controlled with great accuracy.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 6 and 6A, it will be observed that the spline shaft 112 is assembled with a sleeve 13!) rotatable in bearings 132 mounted in an opening provided in the housing 78. Accordingly, the stub spline shaft 112 is rotatable in the housing 78 but is fixed against transverse movement relative thereto. On the other hand, the tool head 54 is movable relative to the housing 73 through a limited range of movement. The tool head 54 includes the rotary spindle 116 having a reduced end portion 134 on which the gear-like honing or finishing tool is supported for rotation. The tool head 54 includes a rearwardly extending generally tubular portion 136 in which are received spaced bearings 13% and 140 in which the tool spindle 116 is rotatable. The spindle 116 is hollow and receives the universal coupling 114 loosely therein, the coupling extending between the splined stub shaft 112 and a similar splined stub shaft 142 located at the front end of the spindle. With this arrangement it will be observed that the tool head 54 may be moved laterally relative to the housing 78 for a limited range. 7

Attention is directed to FIGURE 6A showing the same parts on a somewhat enlarged scale, and in this figure it will be observed that a labyrinth type seal is provided between the rotary sleeve 130 and the transverse movable but non-rotary tubular portion of the tool head 54. Specifically, this labyrinth type seal comprises a pair of flanged discs 144 and 146 pressed against a shoulder 148 on the sleeve 13-2. The labyrinth seal is completed by an annular member 15%) bolted or otherwise secured to the tool head as indicated at 152 and includes an inwardly radially directed flange portion received between the outwardly extending flange portions of the members 144 and 146.

The inner end of the stud 124 of the tool head 54 is provided with a headed connector 154 for a purpose which will presently appear. A rigid arm 156 is provided which extends laterally from the tool head as best seen in FIGURE 6, and is adapted to actuate an indicator 158 through a bell crank lever 160 pivoted as indicated at 162. The bell crank includes a downwardly open slot 164 which receives a reduced end portion of the arm 156.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the tool support mechanism includes a main tool slide, a cross slide movable on the main slide and including an upstanding column, and a tool supporting and driving assembly pivoted to the column for angular adjustment about a horizontal axis. The tool supporting and driving assembly includes a motor and transmission means to connect the motor to a tool supporting spindle. The tool supporting spindle is provided with a relatively small light mounting head movable relative to the tool supporting and driving assembly housing so that limited movement may be imparted to the tool without the necessity of moving the relatively massive tool supporting and driving assembly.

Means later to be described are provided for moving the tool head 54 relative to the assembly housing 78. However, at this time it may be noted that in the operation of the machine the tool head may be. urged toward a work gear under predetermined force under the control of the operator. Thereafter, the gear finishing operation is carried out in one of two ways. In the first place, after the gear and tool have been brought intopressure with a predetermined force, the relatively movable tool head may be locked in position sO' that during the succeeding finishing operation it is not permitted to move either toward or away from the work piece, Alternatively, the tool head may be continuously urged toward the work gear and be permitted freedom of movement during the gear finishing operation.

In the first case the gear finishing operation is somewhat more effective in removing eccentricity for example, because since the tool head is not allowed to move away from the work gear, relatively greater pressure maybe exerted on portions of the work gear which are at a greater radial distance from its axis than other portions thereof. On the other hand, in the case of relatively great eccentricity, this condition might conceivably lead to greater than desirable pressure being exerted between the teeth of the gear and tool, in which case it may be desirable to permit the tool head to float under predetermined pressure during the operation.

An alternative of course is in the provision of take-up means which permits the tool head to move inwardly as stock is removed from the gear but which either effectively prevents movement away from the gear or permits such movement only when the force between the gear and tool approaches dangerous values.

Mechanism for accomplishing this last result is shown in the ccpending application of .Kenneth J. Davis, Serial No. 817,405, filed June 1, 1959.

However, in FIGURES 5-7 there is shown mechanism effective to lock the tool head against relative movement with respect to the housing 78. For this purpose there is provided a block connected by the screws 172 to a portion of the housing 78. A pair of levers 174 and 176 are pivoted to the underside of the tool head 54 by pivot screws 178. The free ends of the levers'174 and 176 are urged together by a tension spring 180, One of the levers,

as for example the lever 176, carries an air cylinder 182 having a piston therein connected to a piston rod 184 terminating in a headed abutment screw 186, theouter end of which is engageable with the other pivoted lever 174. When air is admitted to the cylinder 182 the levers 174 and 176 are urged apart. When the air is released the spring tends to move the free ends of the levers together.

Adjacent the pivots provided by the screws 178 are projecting abutments engageable with side portions of the block 17 9. The arrangement is such that extremely large wedging forces may be provided which have the effect of positively locking the head 54 against movement relative to the assembly housing 78. If desired, for this purpose the edges of the block 170 may be slightly inclined as for example one or two degrees.

Referring now to FIGURE 12 there is shown a mech* anism for applying a predetermined variable constant accurately controlled force to the hone head. Details of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 12 form no part of the present invention and are more fully shown and claimed in the copending Davis application referred to.

above. However, for completeness the mechanism is illustrated herein.

The connector 154 which extends rearwardly from the hone head is illustrated in FIGURE 12. The feeding or biasing mechanism includes a dog 200 received behind the head of the connector 154 and the head of the con nector is engageable with the flexible leaf. spring 20 2. The flexible leaf spring is carried by a tiltable bracket indicated generally at 204, its pivot axisbeing indicated at 206. Vertically movable in the structure shownin FIG- URE 12 is a post 208 having an inclined cam surface 210 engageable by roller 212 carried by the bracket 204. Removable Weights are carried at the upper end of the post 208 to exert a predetermined force thereon and downward movement of the post is opposed by the friction of a bearing indicated at 214. Thus, so long as no force opposes clockwise rotation of the bracket 204, the weight urges the post 208 downwardly without substantial opposition. However, as a tool on the tool head engages a Work gear, rocking movement of the bracket 204'is opposed and forces of sliding friction are developed between the bushing or roller 212 and the post 208.- Accordingly, at a definite loading on the bracket 204,.further downward movement of the post 208 is terminated. As material is removed from the gear, additional rocking movement of the bracket 204 and corresponding further downward movement of the post 208 is permitted.

In order to prevent forces due to inertia of the parts,

slow rate byva pivoted lever 216 motion of which is con trolled through gearing indicated at 218 from a motor 220. Reversal of the motor operatesthe lever 216 to raise the post 208 and adjacent its lower end the post is provided with a more abrupt oppositelyinclined cam sur face 222 engageable with the roller 224 to effect reverse rocking of the bracket 204 to pull the tool head away from a work gear after a gear finishing operation has been completed.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved gear finishing machine in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which isindicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a work support on said 'base, said work support including a re} tary work spindle adapted to support a work gear, a tool slide mounted on said base for reciprocation in a plane parallel to the axis of said work spindle, a cross slide mounted on said tool slide and including a column, a tool supporting and driving assembly mounted on said column for angular adjustment about an axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said work spindle, a relatively light tool head mounted on said assembly for limited movement toward and away from said work support, said tool head including a rotary tool spindle for supporting a gear-like tool, said assembly including a drive motor, flexible transmission means connecting said motor to said tool spindle and providing for movement of said tool spindle relative to said tool supporting and driving assembly, and means for urging said tool head toward said work support with a predetermined constant force.

2. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a work support on said base, said work support including a rotary work spindle adapted to support a work gear, a tool slide mounted on said base for reciprocation in a plane parallel to the axis of said work spindle, a cross slide mounted on said tool slide and including a column, a tool supporting and driving assembly mounted on said column for angular adjustment about an axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said work spindle, a relatively light tool head mounted on said assembly for limited movement toward and away from said work support, said tool head including a rotary tool spindle for supporting a gear like tool, said assembly including a drive motor, flexible transmission means connecting said motor to said tool spindle and providing for movement of said tool spindle relative to said tool supporting and driving assembly, and means for urging said tool head toward said work support with a predetermined constant force, said flexible transmission means including a universal coupling permitting movement of said tool head relative to said tool supporting and driving assembly in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said tool spindle.

3. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a work support on said base, said work support including a rotary work spindle adapted to support a work gear, a tool slide mounted on said base for reciprocation in a plane parallel to the axis of said work spindle, a cross slide mounted on said tool slide and including a column, a tool supporting and driving assembly mounted on said column for angular adjustment about an axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said work spindle, a relatively light tool head mounted on said assembly for limited movement toward and away from said work support, said tool head including a rotary tool spindle for supporting a gear-like tool, said assembly including a drive motor, flexible transmission means connecting said motor to said tool spindle and providing for movement of said tool spindle relative to said tool supporting and driving assembly, and selectively operable clamping means connecting said tool supporting and driving assembly and said tool head to provide for engagement between a tool carried by the tool spindle with a work gear at a predetermined pressure and the prevention thereafter of relative radial movement between the work gear and a tool on said tool spindle.

4. A gear finishing machine as defined in claim 3, in which said clamping means comprises a pair of clamping levers and a block adapted to be clampingly engaged by said levers connected between said tool supporting and driving assembly and said tool head, a fluid piston and cylinder mechanism connected between said levers and means for selectively actuating said mechanism to effect clamping engagement between said levers and said block to prevent relative movement between said work spindle and said tool spindle in a direction radial of said work spindle.

5. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a work support on said base including a rotary work spindle having its axis horizontal, a tool slide on said base mounted for movement in a direction generally parallel to the axis 0 of said work spindle, motor means for driving said tool slide in back and forth traverse strokes, a cross slide on said tool slide, said cross slide including a column, a tool supporting and driving assembly mounted on said column for angular adjustment about a horizontal axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said work spindle, said assembly comprising a frame, a relatively light tool head mounted on said frame for limited movement toward and away from said work spindle, said tool head including a rotatable tool spindle, a motor on said frame, a driving transmission on said frame, a drive shaft on said frame in substantial axial alignment with said tool spindle, and a universal coupling between said drive shaft and said tool spindle to permit movement of said tool spindle relative to said drive shaft and relative to said frame.

6. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a work support on said base including a rotary work spindle having its axis horizontal, a tool slide on said base mounted for movement in a direction generally parallel to the mis of said work spindle, motor means for driving said tool slide in back and forth traverse strokes, a cross slide on said tool slide, said cross slide including a column, a tool supporting and driving assembly mounted on said column for angular adjustment about a horizontal axis perpendicular to and intersectingthe axis of said work spindle, said assembly comprising a frame, a relatively light tool head mounted on said frame for limited movement toward and away from said work spindle, said tool head including a rotatable tool spindle, a motor on said frame, a driving transmission on said frame, a drive shaft on said frame in substantial axial alignment with said tool spindle, and a universal coupling between said drive shaft and said tool spindle to permit movement of said tool spindle relative to said drive shaft and relative to said frame, the frame of said tool head including a horizontal post, said assembly including a recess in which said post is slidably received to mount said tool head for limited adjustment thereon relative to the frame of said tool supporting and driving assembly.

7. A gear finishing machine as defined in claim 6 and mechanism for aplying a predetermined and substantially constant force to move the tool head relative to the frame of the tool supporting and driving assembly toward and away from said work spindle.

8. A gear finishing machine as defined in claim 6 including mechanism for applying a substantially constant and uniform force to said tool head to move it toward said work spindle and means to prevent movement of said tool head away from said work spindle except under a predetermined force substantially greater than the force with which said tool head is urged toward said work spindle.

9. A gear finishing machine as defined in claim 8 in which the means for preventing movement of said tool head away from said work spindle includes a spring.

10. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a work support including a work spindle for rotatably receiving a work gear, means pivoting said support to said base for movement about an axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said work spindle, a tool support including a slide mounted on said base for rectilinear reciprocation in a direction parallel to the axis of said work spindle, a tool spindle on said tool support, means for driving one of said spindles in rotation, means for traversing said tool slide in opposite directions, and crowning and work support stabilizing mechanism comprising a pin and slot device extending between and directly connecting said work support and tool slide, said device comprising an angularly adjustable slotted member whose slot may be adjusted into parallelism with the direction of traverse of said slide to prevent rocking of said work support during traverse of said slide, or disposed at an angle thereto to rock said work support to produce crowned work gears.

11. A gear finishing machine comprising a base, a

9 horizontal work support including a work spindle f rotatably receiving a work gear, means pivoting said support to said base for movement about a vertical axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said work spindle, a'tool support including a slide mounted on said base for rectilinear horizontal reciprocation in' a direction parallel to the axis of said work spindle, a tool spindle .on said tool support, means for driving one of said spindles in rotation, means for traversing said tool slide in opposite directions, and crowning and work support stabilizing mechanism comprising a pin and slot device extending between and directly connecting said work support and tool slide, said device comprising an angularly adjustable slotted member whose slot may be adjusted into parallelism with the direction of traverse of said slide to prevent rocking of said work support during traverse of said slide, or disposed at an angle thereto to rock said work support to produce crowned work gears.

12. In a gear finishing machine, a tool supporting and driving assembly comprising a frame, a tool head including a tool support spindle, rectilinear guide means mounting said head on said frame for limited movement perpendicular to the axis of said spindle member, a rotary drive shaft member mounted on said frame in a fixed position generally aligned with the axis of said spindle member, a motor on said frame, driving transmission means connecting said motor and shaft member, a flexible drive connection including a universal joint connecting said members, one of said members being of hollow tubular form, said universal joint being located within said one member.

13. In a gear honing machine, means for adjustably supporting driving and feeding a gear-like member comprising a base, a main slide mounted for horizontal rectilinear movement on said base, a cross slide mounted on said main slide for horizontal rectilinear movement in a direction perpendicular to the path of movement of said main slide, a vertical column on said cross slide, a support and drive assembly comprising a frame connected to one side of said column for angular adjustment about a horizontal axis, a head of relatively light construction mounted on said frame for limited rectilinear movement in a direction parallel to the aforesaid horizontal axis, a rotary spindle carried by said head with its axis perpendicular to the direction of rectilinear movement of said head, a motor on said frame, and transmission means connecting said motor and spindle including a drive shaft generally aligned with an end of said spindle, means mounting said shaft for rotation in said frame, and a flexible drive connection between said shaft and spindle.

14. In a gear honing machine, means for adjustably supporting driving and feeding a gear-like member compris- 19 ing a base, a main slide mounted for horizontal rectilinear movement on said base, a cross slide mounted on said main slide for horizontal rectilinear movement in a direction perpendicular to the path of movement of said main slide, a vertical column on said cross slide, a support and drive assembly comprising a frame connected to one side of said column for angularadjustment about a horizontal axis, a head of relatively light construction mounted on said frame for limited rectilinear movement in a direction parallel to the aforesaid horizontal axis, a plurality of guide posts and sleeve bearings connected between said frame and head to provide substantially free horizontal movement of said head, a rotary spindle carried by said head with its axis perpendicular to the direction of rectilinear movement of said head, a motor on said frame, and transmission means connecting said motor and spindle including a drive shaft generally aligned with an end of said spindle, means mounting said shaft for rotation in said frame, and a flexible drive connection between said shaft and spindle.

15. In a gear honing machine, means for movably supporting and driving a gear-like member in rotation comprising a frame, a head having a rotary spindle therein, guide means mounting said head on said frame for limited rectilinear reciprocation in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said spindle without angular relative movement therebetween, a motor on said frame, and transmission means connecting said motor and spindle including a drive shaft generally aligned with said spindle at one end thereof, and a universal coupling connecting said shaft and spindle to provide for limited movement of said head on said frame.

16. In a gear honing machine, means for movably supporting and driving a gear-like honing tool in rotation comprising a column, a frame mounted at one side of said column for adjustment about a horizontal axis, a tool head having a rotary tool spindle therein, means mounting said head on said frame for limited rectilinear reciprocation in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said spindle,

a motor on said frame, and transmission means connecting said motor and spindleincluding a drive 'shaft generally aligned with said spindle at one end thereof, and a universal coupling connecting said shaft and spindle to provide for limited movement of said head on said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,575,307 Bachmann Mar. 2, 1926 2,032,589 Overstedt Mar. 3, 1936 2,232,408 Shaw Feb. 18, 1941 2,319,117 7 Drummond May 11, 1943 

